Musical instrument



March 9, 1937. LEBLANQ 2,073,425

MUS I CAL INS TRUMENT Filed May 16, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l L 50. 7LEZVZEHE March 9, 1937,, L. LEBLANC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed May 16,1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 9, 1937 PATENT OFFICE MUSICALINSTRUMENT Leon Leblanc, Paris, France Application May 16, 1935, SerialNo. 21,881 In France May 22, 1934 2 Claims.

This invention is directed to an improvement in wind musicalinstruments, with the improvements particularly applicable tosaxophones.

The invention is particularly directed to a modification in themechanism for the control of the low Ci, normally open at rest to obtaina more efficient stopping of the hole of low D; to suppress thejrnechanism of low Ct normally closed at rest, and to obtain theemission of the latter by the aid of the little finger of the left handalone; to stop more effectively low Ct while playing notes like Bnatural and Bb; to

arrange the holes of Eb, E natural, F and Ft in a predetermined mannerto stop the outfiow of 10 the condensationof water which is generallyproduced by these holes, mechanism being included to emit each ofthesenotes by the aid of their corresponding finger-piece alone, without thenecessity of employing the finger-pieces of lower conjointed notes toobtain the higher tone; and

to vary the shape of the conventional fingerpieces for the littlefingers in order to add materially to the convenience of the player.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a more or less diagrammatic View showing the mechanism forthe control of low Ct.

Figure 2 is a more or less diagrammatic View showing the change in thearrangement of the holes of high Eb, E, F and Ft.

Figure 3 is a view of a detail.

With particular reference to Figure 1, conventional studs and 2 supportindependent rock shafts 3, 4, '5 and 5. A finger-piece i is operativelyconnected to the rock shaft 3 by a bar 8. A finger-piece 9 isoperatively connected to the rock shaft '4 by a bar If). A finger-pieceH is operatively connected to the rock shaft 5 by a bar |2. Bars l3 andi4 fixed to and projecting from rock shafts 3 and -6 are connected by arod l5 to cause the rock shafts 3 and 8 to move in unison, that is, inoperation of the fingerpiece 1. Rock shaft '6 is connected by a bar 5 tothe stop'of high Eb, indicated at H. The stop of 'D, indicated at i8, isconnected by a bar Hi to rock shaft 5. A spring 25 carried by stud restsbehind a stop 2| on rock shaft 3, while a spring 22 cooperating with astop 23 on rock shaft 4 is also carried by the stud i. A spring 24carried by stud 2 cooperates with a stop 25 on rock shaft 5. The springsin each instance are shown for convenience as free of their stops, itbeing understood, however, that the spring 25 acts on the rock s'haft 3to hold the finger-piece 1 raised and through the rod l5 to hold thestop of Db closed. The spring 22 acts on the rock shaft 4 to hold thefinger-piece 9 raised, while the spring 24 acts on the rock shaft 5 tohold the finger-piece raised and also the stop of hole D raised.

Studs 26 support aligned rock shafts 27 and 28. To the rock shaft 27 isconnected a lever 29 extending toward and underlying a lever 30 carriedby the rock shaft 4; the rock shaft 28 having a corresponding lever 3|extending to- Ward and underlying a lever 32 on the rock shaft 5. Studs33 support aligned rock shafts 34 and 35, the rock shaft 34 having alever 36 extending toward and overlying a lever 31 carried by the rockshaft 2?. The rock shaft 35 carries 15 a lever 38 extending toward andoverlying a lever 33 carried by the rock shaft 28.

Studs 40 support a rock shaft 4| to which is secured an arm 42controlling the stop 43 for the hole Ct. This rock shaft 4| has a lever20 44 extending toward and underlying a lever 45 carried by the rockshaft 34. Rock shaft 4| is influenced by spring 46 cooperating with stoppin 4'! to be moved when permitted in a direction to maintain the stop43 in a position to close the hole Ct. In this connection, it is to beunderstood that the spring 22 which in operation maintains thefinger-piece 5 raised is stronger than the spring 45, so that as long asthe spring 22 is free to act, the spring 46 is without influence on 30the rock shaft 4|.

One of the studs 40 and additional studs 48 and 49 support aligned rockshafts 50, 5| and SP, rock shafts 5D and 5| through arms 52 and 53,respectively, control stops 54 and 55, respectively, of holes low C andlow B. Rock shaft 55 is provided with a rigid bar 56 which overlies alever 51 projecting from rock shaft 4|, and rock shafts 50 and 5| areconnected for simultaneous movement through a bar 58 connected at 59 and5t 40 to the respective rock shafts. A rock shaft 5| supported in studs62 carries a lever 63 which extends toward and overlies a lever 64carried by the rock shaft 4|; the rock shaft 6| also carrying a lever 65which extends toward and under- 45 lies a lever 66 carried by the rockshaft 35. A finger-piece B1 is connected by an arm 68 to the rock shaft6|; a second finger-piece 69 being connected by a bar ill to the rockshaft 5|", and a third finger-piece being connected by a bar 12 50 torock shaft 5|.

It will be remembered that the spring 22 is stronger than spring 46.Therefore, with the parts at rest, the spring 22 holds the rock shaft 4in position to maintain the finger-piece 9 55 raised. This lowers thelevers 39 and 29, raises the levers 31 and 36, lowers the levers 95 and98, raises arm 42 and stop 98 of hole Ct. The efiect of spring 96 isthus eliminated as long as the instrument is at rest. If thefinger-piece 9 is depressed by the little finger of the right hand, itis quite apparent that the rock shaft M is released to the influence ofthe spring 98 and arm 42 is moved in a direction to cause the stop 93 toclose the Ct hole. If at this time the fingerpiece 81 is depressed bythe little finger of the left hand, the rock shaft 82 is correspondinglyoperated, causing the lever 63 to depress the lever 64 operating therock shaft 4| against the influence of the spring 46 and raising thestop 98 of the CII hole. Provision is thus made to emit low Cit throughthe operation of the fingerpieces 9 and 67 by the little fingers of theright and left hands. If the finger-piece 9 is released and finger-piece67 lowered, the lever 65 is raised carrying the lever 66 and loweringthe levers 38, 39 and 3I. This raises the lever 32, turning the rockshaft 5 against the influence of the spring 24 and closing the stop I8of hole D. Through this operation, low Ci? is easily emitted through theoperation of the finger-piece 61 by the little finger of the left handonly.

At will, the stop 43 of the hole Ct may be closed by the operation ofthe finger-piece 69 which, operating through the rod 79, the rock shaft5|", the bar 58, the rock shaft 59, the lever 56 and the lever 51, willoperate the rock shaft 4| to depress the stop 43.

The player is thus given the possibility to depress finger-pieces 9 andII and close the stops 43 and I8. B natural and Bb may thereby beemitted through the use of the little finger of the left hand only onthe closing of the holes of C9 and D.

In Figure 2, mechanisms are shown to permit the producing of F major,Fit, E major and high Eb, together with a novel disposition of the holesof these notes, with the particular function to expel the water throughthese holes, which accumulates and proves troublesome after a prolongedperiod of closing of the holes.

When the musician plays the saxophone, the instrument is standing insuch a position that the water of condensation from blowing goes rightthrough the stop side keys which produce high D, Eb and F notes, whichare situated uppermost on the instrument. Through the present inventionthe same stops producing Dt, F and Ft are placed on the back of the bodyof the instrument where there is no water of condensation incident tothe position of the instrument when blowing.

Studs 13 support a rock shaft I9 influenced in one direction by a spring15 carried by one of the studs and engaging behind a pin i8 on the rockshaft. A finger-piece TI is connected to the rock shaft and the rockshaft further carries a lever I8 which overlies a lever I9 carried on arock shaft 89 which, together with an aligned rock shaft 89*, is mountedin studs 9|. The spring '15 acts to normally maintain the finger-pieceI? in raised position.

A rock shaft 82 is mounted in alignment with the rock shaft I9, beingsupported in one of the studs I3, and an additional stud 83. An arm 89secured to the rock shaft 82 carries a stop 85 for the hole E and aspring 86 carried by the stud 83 and engaging behind a pin 81 influencesthe rock shaft in a direction to maintain the stop 85 closed. The rockshaft89 is provided'with a lever 88 underlying a lever 89 secured to therock shaft 82. Pivotally secured beneath and to the rock shaft 89 at 99is a rocker arm 9! which, at the respective ends, is formed to engagestops 92 and 93 carried respectively by the rock shafts 89 and 89 Studs94 support a rock shaft 95 carrying an arm 96 to which is connected theclosure 91 for the high Eb hole. A spring 98 carried by the stud 94 andcooperating with a pin 99 on the rock shaft 95 influences the rock shaftin a direction to maintain the stop 9'! closed. The stop I99 of theadjacent D hole has secured thereto a projection I9I which overlies butis not connected to the stop 91. The rock shaft 95 carries afinger-piece I92 which operates the rock shaft in opposition to thespring 98 and in which operation the stop 91 is raised and through theprojection I9I, stop I 99 is also raised.

A rock shaft I93 is supported in studs I 94. These studs are preferablyof the conventional double type, the rock shaft I93 being supported inthe upper portions of the studs while the lower portions support a rockshaft (not shown) for controlling the stop I95 of the Fit hole.Finger-pieces I96 and I91 are secured to the rock shaft I98 and an armI98 carried by the rock shaft controls the stop I99 of the F major hole.The rock shaft is influenced in a direction to maintain the stop I99closed by a spring I I9 carried by the stud I94 and cooperating with apin III on the rock shaft I93. The rock shaftI93 also carries a leverII2 which underlies the lever II3 on the rock shaft 89'. The rock shaft89 also carries a lever H4 which underlies the arm 96 of the closure 97.I

If the player depresses the finger-piece I98 or I91, the closure I99 ofhole F is raised against the influence of the spring II 9. The lever H2is also raised, which raises lever II3, actuates rock shaft 89, causingstop 92 on said rock shaft to move one end of the rocker arm 9|, causingthe opposite end of said arm to engage the stop 93 on the rock shaft89*, actuating said rock shaft, raising lever88 and thereby raisinglever 89 and actuating rock shaft 86 to raise stop 85 of hole E major.This operation of rock shaft 89 also raises lever H4 which raises arm96, raising stop 91 of hole high Eb and through the projection I9I alsoraising stop I99 of hole D.

If the player raises stop I99 of hole F major and uses a finger-pieceII5, he raises also stop I95 through a projection II-6 welded to thestop I 95 and overlying the stop I99. This same movement, of course,opens stop I99 of hole F, stop 91 of high Eb, stop I99 of hole D andstop 85 of high E. In depressing the finger-piece 11, the playerdepresses the lever I8 and lever 19. This rocks shaft 89, raising thelever H4 and actuating the rocker arm 9|, thus raising stops 85 of highE, 9'! of high Eb and I99 of D.

It is to be particularly noted that the finger--v pieces for the littlefingers particularly are in oblong shape in plan, so as to facilitateand accommodate the control of the mechanism through such finger-pieces.

The bar I9 of finger-piece 9 carries a projection I9 overlying aprojection I2 carried by the bar I2 of finger-piece II and asfinger-piece II isconnected to rock shaft 5 which carries stop trollingthe sounding of F sharp, F, E, and E fiat, a single finger piece forcontrolling each stop independently, and connections whereby the fingerpiece of the stop for any one of said notes will simultaneously'operatethe stops for all lower of said notes without recourse to the individualfinger pieces for said lower notes.

2. In a wind musical instrument, stops for controlling the sounding of Fsharp, F, E, E fiat, and D, a single finger piece for controlling eachstop independently, and connections whereby the finger piece of the stopfor any one of said notes will simultaneously operate the stops for alllower of said notes without recourse to the individual finger pieces forsaid lower notes.

LEON LEBLANC.

